Method of manufacture of a parachute surface



July'4, 1939. A. FERRIARI ua'mon or MANUFACTURE OF A mmcaum suamcn Filed Oct. 15, 193'! 3 sheets-shin 1 July 4, 1939. A. FERRARI IETHOD or MANUFACTURE OF A PARACHUTE SURFACE Filed 001;. 13, 195'! 3 Shoots-Sheet 2 Invmor lb g Hndr fiZrrarL' 3 dds/M July 4, 1939. A. FERRARI IEX'HQQ or MANUFACTURE OF A PARACHUTE SURFACE Filed Oct. 13, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FigJO Patented July 4, .1939 I v 2,164,704

DIETHOD OF MANUFACTURE OF A PARACHUTE SURFACE I Andi- Ferrari, Saint-Victor-sur-Rhins, France Application October 13, 1937, Serial No. 168,839

= In France October 19, 1936 8 Claims. (01. 244-145) The parachutes at present used on board air igure 12 is a View of same in sectional elecraft cannot generally be employed for a speed V t n along t i b-b o i u above 250 km. per hour because the shock upon Figure 13 is a plan ew ov Showing he opening above this speed is considerable and in method of manufacture of theair vent;

most cases fatal for the parachutist, and also Figure 14 is a v ew f m in s c i nal el 5 because at these very high speeds the present vation along the line c-'c of Figure 13. fabrics are not sufficiently strong to resist jerk- The said method of manufacture of an iming and become tom. proved surface according to the invention com- The object of the present invention is to overp se the following Principal ps come these disadvantages while permitting the v 1. Cutting the panels. 10

manufacture of parachute surfaces capable of A fabric of cotton or natural silk is taken, I

being used at speeds of 400 km. per hour with preferably an elastic knitted warp fabric which a shock at opening which is not greater than is cut into pieces of equal dimensions each havthat to which are subjected the present types ing th form of a parallelogram of about 3.4 m.

5 of parachutes at 250 km. the said surfaces being long and 1.3 m. widefor example (Figure 1)-. 15

further sufiiciently strong in order to resist any Each parallelogram is out nearly along a diagdamage. onal giving two trapeziums I of triangular shape For this purpose the object of the invention is of the same dimensions (Figure 1) of which the an improved method of manufacture of such surarge base 2 a ab t the S length as he faces as well as the new industrial product rewidth of the original parallelogram, while the 20 sulting in this case in a new surface for parasmaller base 3 has a length of only a few centichutes. v metres, each trapezium thus obtained constitut- This method is described hereinunder and its ng a pa gore Of Which e large Sides 4 different steps are represented diagrammatically are of straight threads and the other 5 of biassed 5 in the attached drawings in which: threads.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the method 2. Assembling the panels. for obtaining the panels constituting the surface; A certain number of panels I obtained as in Figure 2 is a plan view showing the method of step 1 are taken, sixteen for example, which are assembling two consecutive panels as well as the arranged in such a way as to formia disc (Figformation of the central aperture for the air ure 3) the large bases 2 of each panel contribut- 30 vent; ing to form the leading edge of the surface thus Figure 3 is a plan view above the completed constituted and the smaller bases 3 the edge of assembly of all'the panels; the centr l aperture intended to form the air Figure 4-is a plan view above two assembled vent B, t e biassed side 5 of a panel I being panels showing the method of strengthening their always opposite the side of the straight thread 35 seam; 4 of the adjacent panel- (Figure 2). Figure 5 is a similar view showing the finished The said straight thread and biassed thread reinforcement; 4 and 5 are subsequently assembled by means Figure 6 is a side elevation; of simple or multiple seams with textile thread 40 Figure 7 is a plan view above two reinforced effected either by hand-or by machine. 40

panels showing the method of extra-reinforce- 3. Reinforcement of the assembled seams of ment of the lining at the bottom of the panels the panels. .as well as the method of reinforcing the top of The shock upon opening to which the fabric the panels; is subjectedbeing supported for the most part Figure Sisaside elevation of same; by the seams, the latter are strengthened as 45 Figure 9 is a detailed plan view below the botfollows:

tom of two assembled panels, reinforced and On the reverse side of the surface along each extra-reinforced showing the method of reinseam and across on the two assembled edges 4. forcing the leading edge; g and i of .two consecutive panels is arranged a 5 Figure 10 is a view of same-in sectional elevaband of fabric 8 of aew centimetres in width. tion along the line H of Figure 9; 3 to 4 cm. for example, and having a single,

. Figure 11 is a plan detailed view of same above double or treble plies, this band being posit oned the bottom of two 'aaembled panels with reinon the seams and secured by other seams made forced leading edge showing the manner of sewith textile thread either by hand or by machine.

cunngthemspendingropes; The length of these reinforcing strips 6 thus 55 formed is further such that they project beyond the upper part of the panels by a small length of two to three centimetres for example, while they project beyond the lower part of the panels by a greater length 6", for example fifteen centi= metres (Figure 4).

The smaller projecting part 8' of strengthening strips is these subsequently turned over on the upper side of the surface seamed and fastened off while the greater projecting part ii" is turned over on itself (Figures 5 and 6) seamed with textile thread and fastened off.

4. Extra-reinforcement for preventing tearing.

In order to prevent possible accidents due to tearing, on the fastening oi each turned back part 6" of the strengthening strip is arranged on the reverse side and at the bottom of the surface an extra reinforcement l constituted by a piece of fabric of single, double or treble thickness or plies secured at its periphery by means of seams effected by textile thread either by hand or by machine.

5. Air vent reinforcement.

Similarly in order to prevent possible tearing of the air vent 8 formed by the assembly of the small sides i of each of the -p"anels i a reinforce-=- ment 9 of single, double or treble thickness or plies is provided having the form or a disc and provided with-a circular central aperture i8 oi dimensions approximately corresponding to the one 8 of the surface. This reinforcement is assembled on the upper side of the surface i by several circular seams with textile thread eifected either by hand or by machine.

6. Reinforcement of the leading edge.

The edge of the bases of the panels is turned back on itself so as to form a tucl; ii and the said edge thus tucked is covered on each side with an interior braid iZand an outer braid i3 (Figures 9 and it) while being held by seams of textile thread made either by hand or by machine.

Z. Formation of the suspending ropes.

Contrary to known parachutes the suspending ropes are no longer fixed to the seam lines of the surface but are only sewn to the reinforcing braids of the leading edge so as to permit the full elasticity of the surface 4 Two braids M and it of about fifteen centimetres are taken and are assembled together at their centre part so as to form a ring it intendedto receive the rope worlr.

The ring 18 thus made, there remain four ends of braids. Said ring is placed on the side of the seam and secured to the leading edge as follows: one end of the braid i4 is positioned on the outer braid l3 of the reinforced edge of the panel I, and the other end on the inner braid H of the edge of another panel, one of the ends of the other braid l5 being positioned on the outer braid l3 of the edge of the first panel, the other end being on of the edge of the other panel, the superposed ends being held by seams connecting them together on the reinforced edge.

8. Formation of the air vent.

The small sides 3 of the panels I delimiting the central opening 8 of the surface with their reinforcing strips 8 turned back at 8', as well as the circular edge ll! of the reinforcement of the air vent 9 are turned back inside so as to form a tuck l1 of about one centimetre. At this edge on the inner and outer side is arranged a braid l8 and IS, the assembly being held by seams of textile thread made by hand or by machine.

the inner braid l2 9. Finally in order to connect the surface to the pilot parachute there is positioned in star formation in the air vent (Figure 13) two straps 2t2i which are secured by seams to the braids it or B9 of the air vent 8.

It will be understood that without departing beyond the scope of the invention, vmodifications, improvements and additions may be introduced and the use of equivalent means may be envisaged.

I claim:

1. A parachute of the character described comprising a plurality of gores, each gore being formed of a fabric cut out in the shape of a trapezium of triangular shape, one large side of each gore having straight threads while the opposite sides have biased threads, said gores seamed together with the large side of each gore having straight threads being united with the large side of an adjacent gore having biased threads.

2. A parachute of the character described comprising a plurality of gores, each gore being formed of a fabric cut out in the shape of a trapezium of triangular shape, one large side of each gore having straight threads while the opposite sides have biased threads, said gores seamed together with the large side of each gore having straight threads being united with the large side of an adjacent gorehaving biased threads, the large base of said gores constituting the periphery of the parachute while the apex of said gores form the edge of a central air vent in said parachute.

3. A parachute as claimed in claim 1 in which each gore is formed of an elastic knitted warp iabric.

, 4. in a parachute having a sail composed of a series of gores each in the shape of a trapezium of triangular shape seamed together at their adjacent edges, the apex of said gores forming the edge of a central air vent in said sail, a reinforcing band of fabric sewn along each assembly seam and arranged inside the sail, one end oi each band being turned up around the edge of the air vent and the other end being turned over on itself adjacent the base of each gore.

5. In a parachute having a sail composed of a series of gores each in the shape of a trapezium of triangular shape seamed together at their adjacent edges, the apex of said gores forming the edge of a central air vent in said sail, a reinforcing band of fabric sewn along each assembly seam and arranged inside the sail, one end of each bend being turned up around the edge of the air vent and the other end being turned over "on itself adjacent the base of each gore, and a reinforcing fabric tape sewn inside the sail and covering the turned in end of each reinforcing band.

6. In a parachute having a sail composed of a series of gores each in the shape of a trapezium of triangular shape seamed together at their adjacent edges, the apex of said gores forming the edge of a central air vent insaid sail, a reinforcing band of fabric sewn along each assembly seam and arranged inside the sail, one end of each band being turned up around the edge of the air vent and the other end being turned over on itself adjacent the base of each gore, a reinforcingpiece of fabric secured to the edge of the central air vent and having the form of a disc provided with a central aperture, said reinforcing disc being secured to the outer surface of the sail by a plurality of circular seams.

aunw'oe 7. In a parachute having a sail composed 01' a series of gores each in the shape of a trapezium of triangular shape seamed together at their adjacent edges, the apex of said gores forming the edge of a central air vent in said sail, a reinforcing band of fabric sewn along each assembly seam and arranged inside the sail, one end of each band being turned up around the edge of the air vent and the other end being turned over on itself adjacent the base of each gore, a tuck formed by turning back the base edge of each gore, and an inner and an outer braid covering the said tuck, said braids being secured to said tuck by seams to reinforce the latter.

8. In a parachute having a sail composed of a plurality of gores each in the shape of a trapezium of triangular shape seamed together at their adjacent edges, the base of said gores defining the leading edge of the sail and the apex of said gores defining the edge of a central air vent in said sail, reinforcing bands secured along each assembly seam and arranged inside the sail, one end of each band being turned up around the edge of the air vent and the other end being turned over on itself adjacent the leading edge of the sail, a tuck formed by turning back the leading edge of the sail, inner and outer braids sewn to said tuck for reinforcing the lat ter, inner and outer tapes having their end portions sewn to said braids, said tapes being twisted toform loops at their medial portions, a reinforcing tuck tor the edge of said central air vent formed by turning over the inner edge of the gores, and crossed straps arranged in said central air vent and having their ends secured by seams to said reinforced tucked edge or the central air vent.

ANDRE FERRARI. 

